The new boy of the house (yet anothe penis-endowed member of the family...) has a history of allergies and was on raw (cubed, frozen) food with the rescue. He's switched to Acana Pacifica (same as Jack) without any issues, and has been on poultry and beef diets in the past without problems as well. Got into a bag of Pedigree at the rescue and he had a crazy flare-up, the skin on his stomach looked like cow hide.

Anyway. You can barely touch him without getting covered in hair. I know it's shedding season and all but I think the food may have something to do with it, because 3 weeks ago when he was still on raw he wasn't losing a small chihuahua worth of hair on a daily basis. It's not that much of an issue except that my back hurts a lot when I vacuum, and we basically have to use the sticky roller before we get out of the house not to be beige.

The boy is on Omega-3 capsules twice daily, and the kibble. Switching back to raw isn't an option for us.

Any suggestions of supplements, or other kibbles we could try? I know about the veterinary diets that could work for allergies and skin issues, but would rather stay away from those if I can.

I was just beginning to read the post and was going to recommend Omega-3's :p

Seth has this problem as well. When he's on high quality kibble and fish oil caps it isn't as bad, but he still does it. I find that he doesn't shed as much when he gets a bath at least every 2-3 weeks but I have access to a grooming tub and forced air dryer so it's easy for me to do. When Seth is on low quality kibble, like Purina or Science Diet he sheds REALLY bad and gets super flaky.

Trouble would do this also when her allergies would kick in. The allergist recommended a single source protein, single source carb for her kibble. She ate IVD (now Royal Canin) duck and potato for years before I switched her to Natural Balance venison & sweet potato - something that didn't have to come directly from the vet. Chemo seemed to alter her allergies. Those last two years we had almost no breakouts. (Not recommending ya go out and do chemo - just a oddity we noticed) The last several months she ate a home mixed diet to keep her weight under control, and it really did well for her allergies too.

Suzanne is right, the frequent baths help and I always used Melasab shampoo. It has a anti bacterial/anti fungal that helps keep the breakouts away. Keep an antihistamine on hand to help with the itching. If you can control the scratching, there is less hair flying. Brushing helps remove and contain the hair.

Well, the little dude really isn't that itchy, either. I'll just give him a bath at home (good'ol telephone shower head and a towel to dry him out will do)... I'm brushing him daily with my horse jelly-rubber curry comb and he still covers everything!!

I had to work up to it with Oscar too (I used to vacuum flakey skin off him. ew!), but when he figured out it was kind of scratchy he liked it.

I can only please one person per day. Today is not your day, tomorrow doesn't look good either.
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"You didn't know of the magical powers of the break stick? It's up there with genies and Harry Potter as far as magic levels go." SisMorphine 01/07/07

This makes me want to teach Toby to let me vacuum him.... His shedding is always horrible, regardless of what food I have him on (He's eaten everything from Canidae, Wellness, Solid Gold, Blue Buffalo and now Diamond Naturals). It took awhile before he'd let me brush him, but now he loves it. Maybe he'll learn to love the vacuum too...

like I said, in my case he was itchy, so when he figured out the noisy thing scratched (I used the little brush attachment) then we were pretty much good to go.

I can only please one person per day. Today is not your day, tomorrow doesn't look good either.
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"You didn't know of the magical powers of the break stick? It's up there with genies and Harry Potter as far as magic levels go." SisMorphine 01/07/07

Malli wrote:like I said, in my case he was itchy, so when he figured out the noisy thing scratched (I used the little brush attachment) then we were pretty much good to go.

Yup, I use the brush attachment and scratch him with it, he leans into it for more. Riggs attacks the vacuum while I'm using it, but if I'm vacuuming him he stands still. Ruby, on the other hand, will have none of it.

Michelle

Inside me is a thin woman trying to get out. I usually shut the bitch up with a martini.

ya Oscar still tries ocaisionally to pick fights with the vacuum when I'm actually vacuuming.

I can only please one person per day. Today is not your day, tomorrow doesn't look good either.
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"You didn't know of the magical powers of the break stick? It's up there with genies and Harry Potter as far as magic levels go." SisMorphine 01/07/07